An Acceptable Time
by Dragon Ashes
Summary: An encounter with a yokai-hating village leaves the group injured and separated. Will Inuyasha's pent-up emotions get the better of him...and can he find an acceptable time in the midst of the chaos to show his love for Kagome?
1. Worry

Hey, everyone! This is my first fanfic here. I intend it to remain short (4-5 chapters at most), so enjoy it while it lasts!

DISCLAIMER: If this Dragonashes owned Inuyasha, she would not be spending so much time looking for scholarships to pay for college. I wonder if Rumiko Takahashi went to college…

* * *

**An Acceptable Time**

**Chapter 1 – Worry**

_Young Inuyasha ran through the forest. He had to find a safe place to rest before night fell. For on this night, he would turn human – and being caught in the middle of a yokai-infested forest was a death sentence for a human. Even worse, any yokai with a sense of smell would be able to tell that he was a hanyo._

_Turning his full attention to his task, he bounded into a clearing. Suddenly he felt a sharp sting surge through his body as he was thrown backwards, nearly missing a tree. He looked around. The clearing he had found was odd, he now realized; not only was it perfectly round, but it also had a river flowing through it. The river was parted in the middle by a circular rock, forming an island. The water must have come from a pure source, for it was creating a sort of natural barrier that he would not be able to cross. 'Perfect,' the young boy thought. His mother had taught him much about barriers and purifying magic before her tragic demise. He knew that trying to get over the river would be impossible for a yokai, or even a hanyo like him._

* * *

"OSWARI!"

_Thump!_

"What do you think you're doing, you pervert?"

The young man in question was still glued to the ground by the beads of subjugation around his neck, but managed an, "Oi, wench!" in response.

His miko attacker did not consider this an accurate description of his recent activities, so she repeated her command – sending her silver-haired antagonist into the ground once again.

"I was lookin' for ramen, got a problem with that? You _promised_ you'd bring some back!" Inuyasha (who else?) pointed a clawed finger at the red-faced young woman in front of him.

The aforementioned young woman took a few deep breaths in an attempt to bring her color back to normal. "Inuyasha, my bag is _private_. I know you can smell ramen in there, but there are SOME THINGS," she gestured toward her garments, which had mysteriously found their way into the hanyo's hands during his frenzied search for his favorite food, "in there that I really don't want other people to handle."

The boy snorted. "What's so important about this stuff, anyways?" He asked, waving the oddly shaped pieces of cloth in front of her face.

Kagome was about to go into a panic. Miroku and Sango were bound to return soon from their venture into the nearby village. They had left their companions in the forest because the village was openly known to be particularly hostile to yokai, and no one wanted a fuss. Still, without the extra distractions usually caused by Shippo, Kilala, Inuyasha and Kagome, the couple would be back in record time. To avoid a fight (simply because it would take too long), Kagome merely stated, "That's a question that someone like Miroku could answer."

Realizing exactly what he was holding, Inuyasha turned a light shade of pink. He quickly threw what he now recognized as female undergarments back into the big yellow bag, mentally promising never to so much as peep inside it again. _'Good thing that damn houshi wasn't here…he'd never let me live __this__ one down.'_

At that moment, Shippo and Kilala returned from their fishing excursion. It was getting dark, so the group decided to begin cooking supper while waiting for Miroku and Sango to return. Kagome stared up at the sky absent-mindedly. She caught a glimpse of the moon – a waning crescent, according to her science books. In Feudal Era terms, it meant the new moon was only a night or two away.

The night Inuyasha turned human.

Kagome silently prayed that the next village they stopped at would be more tolerant toward yokai. Although the hanyo would probably bristle and bluster at the mere mention of spending the night in a human inn (and from what she knew of his past, she didn't blame him), everyone knew that Inuyasha's human night left them extremely short-handed. Spending the night in a yokai-infested forest was a last resort. After all, in the open anyone from Sesshomaru to Naraku himself could stumble upon the group and learn of Inuyasha's secret.

It was Naraku's fault that they were out there in the first place. Ever since his disappearance there hadn't been a sign of him or of any new Shikon Jewel shards. That accounted for Inuyasha's unceasing bad temper and impatience – which was why he had gone digging through her bag in the first place.

"Oi, wench!"

'_Yep, definitely impatient.'_ Kagome sighed, turning her attention back to the fish she was cooking. "The fish will be ready soon, Inuyasha. And no," she continued, seeing her friend's mouth preparing to fire a retort, "We're not having ramen _again_ tonight. I only have so many of them, you know. Unless you want me to go home and get more, we'll just have to make this supply last."

"Not that. Sango and that damn monk should be back by now." Inuyasha rose, turning away from the fire. "I'll be back."

"Inuyasha! Wait!" The young girl grabbed her bow. "I'll go too!"

"Just stay here and cook. It's probably nothin' anyways." _'Nothing I want you to have to deal with,'_ Inuyasha mentally added. He cared deeply for the girl, and felt sure that she felt something for him (after all, she had openly admitted her desire to be with him), but didn't trust himself to say so. At least, not at the moment. _'Maybe someday I'll find an acceptable time to tell her how I feel…'_

"…Inuyasha…? I'm not letting you go by yourself." Kagome's voice betrayed worry, which was reflected in the small eyes of Shippo and Kilala.

"Feh. We'll eat, then we'll see what's taking them." Inuyasha sat back down by the fire. "The fish is done, anyways." He knew it was useless to argue with Kagome; and besides, if the group got into trouble, she could probably use her position as a miko to avoid punishment.

Kagome hastily removed the fish from next to the fire, silently thankful for Inuyasha's keen nose. She was still worried about Miroku and Sango, and the tension spread through the group. Even Shippo was being abnormally quiet, and for once didn't try to steal Inuyasha's fish. The four friends ate quickly, then silently set off in the direction of the village.

* * *

Well, thanks for reading! I'll update this as soon as I can, but probably not for a few more days. It's a busy time of the year for me. If you liked it, please review!

Flames will be used as a cheap substitute for fuel to save money in college.


	2. Capture

Hello again! Sorry to keep everyone waiting. Here is the next installment…and I will apologize in advance for character torture. Don't worry, nothing graphic.

Basic Japanese (sorry for not including this in the last chapter!)

-Arigato – "Thank you"  
-Baka – idiot  
-Gomen (nasai) – "I'm (very) sorry"  
-Hanyo – a person who is half yokai and half human  
-Haori – an outer upper garment; in this case, the fire-rat coat of Inuyasha's outfit  
-Inu – dog (the literal interpretation of "Inuyasha" is thus something along the lines of "dog forest spirit.")  
-Kaze no Kizu – literally, "Tear (or wound, or gash) of the Wind;" but commonly interpreted as "Wind Scar" in English. It's the Tetsusaiga's main attack, causing several solid blades of wind with the power to destroy 100 lesser yokai in one strike  
-Neko – cat  
-Yokai – mythological creature (usually interpreted 'demon' in English…because it sounds more threatening?)

I shorten the "ou" in most Japanese-interpreted words simply because I'm American – and we don't use "ou" for the /O/ sound in America. Besides, there really is no 'proper' spelling, as the Japanese use kanji and not our alphabet.

Review if you have questions.

DISCLAIMER: If this Dragonashes owned Inuyasha, she would not be spending so much time looking for scholarships to pay for college. I wonder if Rumiko Takahashi went to college…

**An Acceptable Time**

**Chapter 2 – Capture**

_They laughed at him. They threw things at him – sticks, rocks, broken pottery, anything heavy and useless they could lay their hands on._

"_Hanyo," they called him. As if he didn't have a name. As if he didn't have feelings._

_As if he was no more than an animal, a pest. Something to be exterminated._

_He would never let that happen._

_They would never get him._

* * *

"Inuyasha?" Kagome looked over at her hanyo companion with a worried expression. He had been unusually quiet ever since they left their campsite in search of Miroku and Sango. _'Where __are__ those two?'_ She asked herself. _'It isn't like them to take so long…'_

"Keh. Just be quiet and walk."

'_He's worried as well…'_ Knowing that her cocky friend would respond badly to any mention of his emotions, she allowed him to continue sniffing the air in peace.

Sure enough, the hours-old scent trail led the four searchers straight into the village. As they approached, Inuyasha stopped and growled. "Get on," he ordered, stooping to allow Kagome to climb on his back. She did so, gathering Shippo and Kilala in her arms. Both fell asleep quickly.

"Inuyasha…?" It was a habit of the pair to use each other's names in place of a statement or question. Unbeknownst to them, there was a running bet between Sango and Miroku that the two could communicate perfectly well between themselves for a full day just by saying the other's name. In this case, Kagome was questioning her friend's change in behavior.

"Kagome." It was an order to be silent, lest they draw any undue attention to themselves. The passenger understood, and remained silent – though that did little to alleviate her confusion.

XXXXX

The village was quiet – too quiet. For a yokai-hating village positioned on the edge of a yokai-infested forest, there was a noticeable lack of guards. Still, Inuyasha was more worried about his friends' safety than about the apparent foolishness of the villagers.

"Inuyasha."

His name, whispered gently into his left dog ear, was clearly meant as a warning. Though from a different time, Kagome clearly understood that something was wrong. The hanyo chose to disregard her concern – and almost immediately, he regretted it.

The sound of something being thrown out a dark hut window was followed by a thud and a light gasp of pain from Kagome. As Inuyasha turned, he tripped on the projectile – a large, but mercifully blunt stone – twisting his ankle. In his attempt to regain his balance while trying to comprehend what was going on, he lost his hold on Kagome. She slid to the ground; the stone had momentarily knocked the breath from the fragile and half-asleep girl. Shippo and Kilala, awakened by the impact, immediately took up protective stances around her.

XXXXX

Inuyasha assessed the situation, mentally cursing himself for his utter stupidity. They were in what appeared to be the center of the village. The village common was surrounded by houses which his nose, relieved from its previous occupation with Sango and Miroku's scents, quickly told him were filled with numerous people. He could wipe them out easily with his _Kaze no Kizu _– but then, they were _human_, after all. Besides, mixed up with the strange smells were the familiar scents of Miroku and Sango. There was no telling which hut they were in; if he randomly fired off an attack, he could end their lives as well. Kagome was recovering quickly, but could do little to help in the fight that was sure to follow. A tingling feeling in the back of his neck told Inuyasha that the village housed at least one strong miko or houshi; while he himself could withstand purification powers reasonably well because of his human blood, Shippo and Kilala were by no means immune. The amount of power he sensed could easily turn them to dust.

This left him with two main options. First, he could stay and fight – which was what the villagers wanted, judging from the fact that they were quickly coming to their windows and readying more ammunition. Second, he could attempt to escape – though that would mean abandoning Sango and Miroku to possible torture and/or death. If the pair was confined within the village, the villagers probably knew they had been traveling with yokai. The penalty for "consorting" with yokai was not likely to be pretty or painless. Inuyasha's head ached as he weighed his options, knowing that in a few brief seconds the real attack would begin.

Throwing caution and strategy to the wind, Inuyasha shoved shrugged out of his fire-rat haori and tossed it over Kagome before placing her and Shippo on the transformed Kilala's back. "Get her out of here," he ordered the neko-yokai.

XXXXX

Kagome's eyes watered as she was lifted into the air. "INUYASHA!" She yelled. _'Be safe…just be safe…'_

"He'll be all right, Kagome," Shippo said, sensing his adoptive mother's apprehension. "That _baka_ inu is too stubborn to lose to some 'wimpy humans.'"

Kagome hid a grin. Shippo was right…Inuyasha's pride wouldn't let him lose. At a dizzying altitude of nearly thirty feet, her smooth ascent on Kilala's back was interrupted by a jarring lurch to the side. Kagome nearly screamed in terror, cling on for dear life, when she noticed a piercing light down below. The villagers had abandoned their rock-throwing and were now launching flaming arrows at Inuyasha, who was holding up well with only minor burns on his arms due to the absence of the fire-rat haori. Taking a deep breath, Kagome looked up – only to discover the source of their problems.

A barrier.

Sometime between their arrival and the time that first rock was thrown, the villagers had erected a sacred barrier around the premises, preventing any yokai from entering – or escaping. Kagome wanted to cry in frustration. Kaede's village wasn't too far away; if she could find a way around the barrier, she could be back with the elderly miko in about twenty minutes. The feisty old woman could use her position to stop the attack and free her friends. She knew well that her archery, carefully practiced every day of their journey, was useless under the circumstances. Her arrows relied upon miko powers to operate; powers that were only effective against yokai. Considering that the only yokai in the immediate area were Kilala, Shippo, and Inuyasha, she wisely decided to leave her weapons slung on her back.

XXXXX

Inuyasha wondered why Kagome's scent wasn't getting any farther away. Sparing a glance upward, he saw the barrier that was keeping Kilala and Shippo inside. Shouting curses at the gall of these _bakas_, he drew the Red Tetsusaiga and leapt upward to slice through the barrier. At that moment he felt something soft wrap around his waist – once, twice, three times – followed by a crushing pain that forced him to the ground. It took all his combined human and yokai willpower not to cry out in pain as his vision blurred, but did not fade. He desperately held on to Tetsusaiga, his precaution against transforming into a full yokai at times like this.

'_Kagome…'_

XXXXX

Moments after Inuyasha hit the ground, Kagome felt something impact Kilala. Looking down, she saw a ribbon of cloth, weighted with a small stone on either end and covered with sutras, wrap around the neko-yokai's back legs. Immediately they were pulled to the ground, Kilala screaming as she tried to fight the overpowering spell. Finally, about ten feet from the ground, her transformation came undone. Kagome closed her eyes, bracing herself from the impact. Instead, she felt strong arms catch her and swing her easily to her feet.

"Ariga-" Her expression of gratitude was cut short by the cold blade of a knife at her throat. _'Damn!'_ She cursed inwardly, her thought followed by the fleeting notion that Inuyasha must be rubbing off on her.

XXXXX

"Hanyo."

A cold voice caused Inuyasha to look up through his red haze of pain, where he knelt thrashing at the rope wound around his waist. His mind cleared somewhat as he saw that the owner of the voice, a young man about Miroku's age with a chilling smile, had Kagome pressed against his chest. _'How dare he…'_

Correction: he had her pressed against his chest…with a knife to her throat. _'Damn! He wouldn't…no, he can't…'_ Inuyasha struggled all the harder with the enchanted bonds, his hands burning from the sutras' power.

"Hanyo," the man repeated, this time in a warning tone of voice. "If you do not cease your struggles, the woman will die."

Obediently, Inuyasha dropped his arms to his side, trying not to wince as his lower arms brushed the rope. _'As long as they have Kagome…I have to comply. Even if they take my life, it will be worth it…as long as she stays safe. I'm sorry, Kagome; I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better.'_

XXXXX

'_Inuyasha…'_ Kagome knew that the boy cared about her – the fact that he always jumped into battles to save her life _was_ a rather obvious giveaway – but seeing him submit to certain torture for her sake caused tears to well up. She quickly bit them back; if Inuyasha was going to suffer, she was going to be strong for him.

"Very good." The man who held her captive loosened his hold on the knife slightly in acknowledgement of the hanyo's submission. "Men, bind the creatures and take them to my hut."

At that, several men stepped out of the dark huts with more sutra-enhanced ropes. Desperately, Kagome tried to wriggle free of the man's grasp and run to Inuyasha, but the cold metal stopped her once again. "It's all right, young maiden," the man whispered in her ear, "They will cannot harm you now. We will exorcise them soon enough, and you will be freed from their power. Until then, you will stay with me."

'_Free me? From who? I'm not possessed…'_ Thoughts raced insanely through Kagome's mind as she tried once again to free herself from the man's powerful grip, never once taking her eyes off the hanyo in front of her. Time seemed to stop as their eyes met, brown and gold, human and yokai.

'_Kagome…'_ The young miko could not hear his whisper, but she could clearly read her name on his lips, accompanied by an almost imperceptible shake of the head.

'_Inuyasha…'_ She remained completely still, watching with dead eyes as cruel hands bound the man she loved and dragged him away. Shippo and Kilala, who had both been caught by other villagers after their fall, were shoved into sutra-covered cages.

'_Inuyasha…'_ She could feel her captor trying to get her to walk, but her legs were rooted in the spot. The man said something to one of his henchmen, but the words didn't register in Kagome's brain. It was fully occupied with the now-limp figure being dragged toward a large hut on the edge of the village common.

'_Inuyasha…I'm sorry…I wasn't strong enough…'_ Kagome's world suddenly went black, and she knew no more.

* * *

Er…no, I didn't kill off Kagome; she's just unconscious. So is Inuyasha. And Sango, for that matter…though why is for me to know and you to find out. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading! If it wasn't worth your time, it wasn't for lack of effort on my part.


	3. Sanctuary

Here's the latest chapter! It's kinda long, but it moves the story along. I know I add a lot of description that sometimes slows down the plot…I guess it comes from reading too much. Sorry if it gets bogged down. Anyways…enjoy!

Basic Japanese

-Arigato – "Thank you"  
-Baka – idiot  
-Gomen (nasai) – "I'm (very) sorry"  
-Hanyo – a person who is half yokai and half human  
-Haori – an outer upper garment; in this case, the fire-rat coat of Inuyasha's outfit.  
-Inu – dog (the literal interpretation of "Inuyasha" is thus something along the lines of "dog forest spirit.")  
-Kitsune – fox, like Shippo  
-Neko – cat  
-Shoji – a Japanese door formed by a wall panel (usually made of painted screen or other light material) that slides open, instead of swinging open like Western doors  
-Yokai – mythological creature (usually interpreted 'demon' in English…because it sounds more threatening?)  
-Yoki – yokai magical energy

I shorten the "ou" in most Japanese-interpreted words simply because I'm American – and we don't use "ou" for the /O/ sound in America. Besides, there really is no 'proper' spelling, as the Japanese use kanji and not our alphabet.

Review if you have questions. Or comments. Or concerns. Or…never mind, just review!

Flames will be used to toast my toes during cold winter nights.

WARNING: Described and implied character torture (not too bad; I don't get very graphic…nothing worse than what's in the anime and manga)

DISCLAIMER: If this Dragonashes owned Inuyasha, she would not be spending so much time looking for scholarships to pay for college. I wonder if Rumiko Takahashi went to college…

**An Acceptable Time**

**Chapter 3 – Sanctuary**

_The island in the middle of the river clearing was a perfect hiding place. The pure water flowing around it created a constant, soothing sound…perfect for lulling a young hanyo-turned-human to sleep. Inuyasha let himself rest for a few brief hours…he knew he had to get leave his sanctuary before sunrise, or he would be in for a very rude – and undoubtedly painful – awakening. His mother had constantly warned him about the dangers of being on sacred ground and what purification powers could do to someone of half-yokai heritage. Still, during his brief time with her the pair had often taken refuge in a shrine or temple on new moon nights, always leaving before dawn. Even at that young age, the peace that filled those places always impressed him – though that awe was tempered by the judgmental glares of the houshis and mikos who inhabited such refuges._

_This place had a peaceful feel to it as well, but it was different – friendlier, he imagined. It was almost as if the place welcomed him, a young, lonely wanderer hated and hunted by the world. It was a beautiful scene. A waterfall upstream cast a light shroud of mist over the landscape, probably enhancing the area's barrier. The trees surrounding the clearing were ancient but still stood proudly and majestically, giving shelter with their boughs but also allowing the young boy below to see the starry, moonless sky. Before dozing into a light slumber, Inuyasha promised himself that he would find someone to share this spot with. It might take years, he told himself, but he would find someone who would accept him._

_He would find sanctuary._

* * *

"Get up, you beast." A rough kick in the stomach brought Inuyasha back to his senses. During his short period of unconsciousness, he had been moved indoors – probably to his captor's hut, if he had heard correctly – and his wrists were bound behind his back. Looking down, he saw sutras placed randomly over his torso and legs; his waking senses brought a blinding pain shooting through his body. Still, for Kagome's sake, he struggled to bring himself to a kneeling position.

Wait…Kagome! Where was she? The strange man who had captured her was nowhere to be seen, and Inuyasha's hanyo senses were being drowned by incense. _'Damn…that guy must be a houshi, and a strong one at that.'_ Come to think of it, the man had been wearing clothing similar in style to Miroku's._ ' If he tries anything funny with Kagome, I'll kill him…'_ Just as he brought himself to his knees, he felt rough arms grab his tied arms and raise them over his head, forcing his upper body down. Cold chains hanging from the ceiling – probably also sutra-covered, if the burning sensation they were giving him was any indication – were wrapped around his wrists. If he had been in his human form, his arms would probably have been dislocated from the procedure.

Once again he felt a strong surge of pain consume his senses, causing every inch of his body to scream in agony. When he finally recovered – much to the amusement of his two guards – he noticed that he was much weaker. Sudden realization hit him: he was slowly being purified. He grimaced as he remembered a similar experience at Mount Hakurei. While tracking down Naraku, he had encountered an unusually strong barrier around the mountain that had purified his yokai blood temporarily. He had been fine – in fact, he had felt surprisingly better in his human form with no yoki to interfere with the barrier. He wondered if the blinding pain would disappear once the purification was completed.

Preoccupied with his thoughts, Inuyasha didn't see the guards selecting sharp, flexible bamboo rods from a rack on the wall. The first thing he noticed were the two men advancing toward him, flexing their cruel weapons in his face.

"Say your prayers hanyo," one of them spat. "Not that anyone will hear."

XXXXX

By the time Kagome woke up, the thin sliver of the moon had almost set in the night sky. She sat in awe of the lovely sight before remembering her predicament. Sitting up quickly, she began to survey her surroundings. She was on a mat in a small room with a single window – the window through which she had seen the moon. From what she could tell, she was uninjured except for the small lump on the back of her head from where the man had knocked her out. Kagome could've laughed at the irony of the situation. The same man who had apparently gone out of his way to make her comfortable was now probably torturing her friends. She bit back tears, deciding to focus instead on trying to locate Inuyasha's yoki.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She couldn't sense him.

She tried again – still nothing. She searched for Shippo's aura, and located him with relative ease. Kilala, also, was easy to find – though the neko-yokai's yoki was significantly weakened. This gave her some hope. _'Kilala was hit with a sutra rope, just like Inuyasha. That's it…the sutras are probably just masking his yoki…I'm sure he's fine…'_ Her thought process was interrupted by low voices on the other side of the shoji screen. She caught parts of the conversation, not daring to creep to the other side of the room to hear better in case someone noticed her eavesdropping.

"…Amazing resistance…holding up much better than expected…won't be much longer." The first speaker had a low voice that seemed to rumble through her very bones. Kagome shuddered.

"_How_ much longer?" Kagome recognized the voice of the man who had held the knife to her throat earlier.

The answer was unclear, but the girl's delicate ears picked up the words, "Keeps asking for a 'Kagome.' Do you think…"

Kagome didn't trust herself to breathe. _'Inuyasha…is alive!'_ The fact that he was probably being tortured to death at the moment was thrown aside in her joy. If he was alive, she would do everything in her power to rescue him. She hadn't spent nearly a year skipping school and running about the Feudal Japanese countryside for nothing! She imagined herself charging dramatically to the rescue, bow at the ready, riding on the back of her beloved hanyo friend whose claws were clenched tight in righteous anger, prepared to shoot anyone who dared to threaten their friends and adopted family…

Except that she had no bow, and the aforementioned beloved hanyo friend was the one probably most in need of rescue at the moment. Kagome groaned in frustration.

Suddenly, the shoji was thrown open and her captor entered. In the light of the lamp, Kagome was able to get a better look at him. He was obviously a houshi like Miroku – his clothing was the same style, although his colored sash was a poisonous dark green instead of purple. His hair, an almost reddish brown, was pulled back neatly in a short hair style that, again, resembled Miroku's. In fact, the man looked so much like Miroku for a moment that Kagome half expected him to grope her rear and ask her to bear his children. Instead, he merely strode over to her, grabbed her arm firmly but gently, and ushered her out of the room without a word.

"What…where…"

"Quiet, miko," came the response. Kagome was vaguely impressed; this man must truly be a valid houshi to have sensed her powers. Usually people disregarded her claim to be a miko because of her unusual dress code. Speaking of which…Kagome noticed that she was still wearing Inuyasha's haori. "Soon you will be free of your yokai captors."

XXXXX

Inuyasha struggled to breathe. The uncomfortable position was in only exaggerated the pain of the numerous gashes that now covered his body. Ordinarily the cuts wouldn't have been serious, but he had been slowly loosing his yokai abilities over the course of the past few hours. He knew that his wounds, if left unbandaged, would put him in danger of death from blood loss in his human form. Already, he had weakened to the point that he couldn't completely stifle the urge to cry out in pain during his beatings. In a way, he was grateful for that weakness; Tetsusaiga, his seal against turning into a full yokai when in danger of losing his life, had been thrown carelessly on the other side of the room. None of the guards apparently wanted to touch a yokai sword that transformed into a huge fang in the grasp of a hanyo. Suddenly, the shoji of the hut opened. Inuyasha summoned all his pride to straighten himself, readying his mind for another round of torture.

Instead, there stood the love of his life, still clothed in his blood red haori. At that moment, all else was forgotten in the overwhelming relief for her safety.

XXXXX

Kagome couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. On the one hand, she was overjoyed at seeing Inuyasha alive; on the other, the sight of his bloody, mangled body nearly broke her heart. Slowly, the boy lifted his head. The instant their eyes met, Kagome could read all the pain – and the relief at her well-being – that lay within the two pools of amber light, now significantly dimmed. Neither the houshi beside her nor her own better judgement could keep her from breaking free of the man's grasp and gently embracing Inuyasha, careful not to aggravate his wounds further.

"Inuyasha…" All her relief at his safety, her sympathy for his pain, and her anger at the men who did this were poured into that one word. "I'm so glad…!" Kagome choked on her tears, unable to finish her sentence. As she had suspected, Inuyasha's yoki was being smothered by the numerous sutras placed on his body and his bonds.

"Sh…it's all right, Kagome. I'll be fine." Inuyasha, unable to use his hands, gently leaned onto her, returning her embrace as best he could. Another convulsion of pain ran through his body, and he felt Kagome loosen her hold on his shaking body slightly. Surprisingly, instead of feeling the loneliness and despair he had associated with those waves of pain, he felt unusually peaceful. It was almost as if he was protected; though he could still feel the pain, it didn't affect him as much as it had before. Kagome was holding him in a safe haven – even in the middle of a village full of hate.

XXXXX

As soon as he recovered, Kagome let go entirely. She looked met the gaze of the man she loved, her brown eyes blazing with anger. Two steps brought her nose to nose with the houshi responsible for the torture, who was still too confused by the miko's reaction to register her furious gaze, and paused a moment. Then, in one swift motion, she brought both her hands down hard on the man's face – first one side, then the other. Only the miko's hands on the front of his robes kept him from falling over.

"AND JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" The infuriated young woman screamed.

"Young miko, I am merely freeing you from the influence of these heartless yokai. They were kidnapping you…"

"DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT I MIGHT BE WITH THEM BY CHOICE??"

Realization seemed to dawn on the houshi. "Why…you don't mean…surely…come now, young maiden, you are not a yokai's bride; there is no yoki in your aura. There is no other reason to travel with a yokai, and no reasonable maiden would accept such a fate."

Kagome could hear Inuyasha growling behind her. She responded in a quiet, firm voice, "I would, you stupid idiot."

The man scoffed at the idea, oblivious to the pink miko energy that was beginning to form around the girl (who still held his robes in her white-knuckle grasp). "You cannot be serious. No yokai could ever make a human girl happy. All they bring is pain and misfortune. I am doing you a favor by saving you from such a fate."

The growling stopped, and Kagome could feel waves of agony and self-loathing fill Inuyasha's aura. "SHUT UP!" She yelled, her control over her powers broken by her overwhelming anger. Her hair flared out as a brilliant blast of pink light shot out from her hands directly at the houshi's chest. His companions ran, fearing a similar fate. Kagome didn't even pause to asses the damage; she pivoted on her heels and stalked back over to her injured (and incredulous) friend. Grabbing Tetsusaiga from where it was thrown in the corner of the hut, she easily slit the rope that bound Inuyasha's wrists to the chain. She caught him as he toppled forward, gently rocking him back and forth to ease his labored breathing. After a moment she pulled away, remembering that there were others she had to attend to. "Inuyasha…do you know where Shippo and Kilala are? I sensed them somewhere around here."

Inuyasha glanced over at a cage in the far corner, next to the door. Following his eyes, Kagome noticed her two friends trapped inside. Shippo was pounding on the side of the cage and yelling, but the sutras on the bars obviously prevented any sound from passing. "Do we have to let them out?" The boy asked wearily.

Kagome shot him a 'What-do-you-think' look.

"Keh…"

Without further ado, Kagome gently handed Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha, helped him stand, and guided him toward the door. Once he had his Tetsusaiga-free hand on the shoji's door frame, Kagome released him and quickly opened the cage door. Instantly, two balls of fur launched themselves at her chest, causing her to laugh as loudly as she dared.

"Kagomeeeeee!! We were so worried about you!! We couldn't get out of the cage, and Kilala was hurt, and the nasty men were beating up Inuyasha so he couldn't get to you and I was so worried that you'd never get to him in time and that they were going to kill him and I thought you were already dead…" As the kitsune cub paused for breath, Kagome noticed that small tears were in the corners of his eyes. Despite his constant teasing, he considered Inuyasha as a role model and a big brother – maybe even as an adopted father. To see Inuyasha being beaten mercilessly must have reminded Shippo of his father's death at the hands of the cruel Thunder Brothers less than a year before.

Kagome hugged him gently, cutting him off before he could begin another sentence. "Shippo, we have an important mission for you and Kilala. I need you two to look for Miroku and Sango while Inuyasha and I start toward Kaede's village. Can you do that for me?" Although she would have prefered to search for the pair herself, Inuyasha's injuries were too serious to ignore.

Shippo's tail flicked with pride and importance. "You can count on me…I mean, us! Come on, Kilala!" With that, the pair bounded out into the night – apparently no worse for their ordeal, though the fire-neko was limping slightly from her contact with the sutras.

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha asked as the two continued their trek toward the forest.

"Yeah?"

"That thing you did back there, with your miko powers…do ya think you could do that to Naraku?" A cocky smirk appeared on the hanyo's face as he imagined their hated enemy being disintegrated to dust by pink miko energy.

Kagome laughed, loud and clear. Everything would be just fine.

* * *

**Inuyasha:** Keh, damn houshis...just wanna rip 'em all to shreds.

**Miroku:** Ah, yes...surely I am not included in that number, am I?

**Inuyasha:** Oh, no...

**Miroku:** triumphant smile

**Inuyasha:** ..._perverted_ houshi.

**Miroku:** laughing nervously Ah, Ryuu-san, perhaps we could conclude this story for now...

**Random reader:** _Ryuu-san?!_

**Miroku: **Yes, Ryuu is Japanese for "Dragon..." hence, I am adressing our most esteemed authoress. By the way...

**Dragonashes ('Ryuu-san'):** No.

**Miroku:** _'Damn...'_ Oh, Sango...

Hehehe...I hope I didn't bore you all to sleep with my long and lengthy descriptions. Words just flow from my fingers like water flows over a waterfall! Thank you for bearing with me!

Oh, and if you're wondering about the flashbacks at the beginnings of my chapters, there is a reason for them. In fact, the reason shall be revealed to the patient in the next chapter. Stay tuned!


	4. Purification

Ah…smell the brand new chapter…such a fresh scent, like newly opened flowers on a spring morning…(ahem) _anyways_, thanks for reading, and enjoy!

Basic Japanese

-Arigato – "Thank you"  
-Baka – idiot  
-Gomen (nasai) – "I'm (very) sorry"  
-Hanyo – a person who is half yokai and half human  
-Haori – an outer upper garment; in this case, the fire-rat coat of Inuyasha's outfit.  
-Inu – dog (the literal interpretation of "Inuyasha" is thus something along the lines of "dog forest spirit.")  
-Kitsune – fox, like Shippo  
-Neko – cat, like Kilala  
-Shoji – a Japanese door formed by a wall panel (usually made of painted screen or other light material) that slides open, instead of swinging open like Western doors  
-Yokai – mythological creature (usually interpreted 'demon' in English…because it sounds more threatening?)  
-Yoki – yokai magical energy

I shorten the "ou" in most Japanese-interpreted words simply because I'm American – and we don't use "ou" for the /O/ sound in America. Besides, there really is no 'proper' spelling, as the Japanese use kanji and not our alphabet.

Review if you have questions. Or comments. Or concerns. Or…never mind, just review!

Flames will be used to toast my toes during cold winter nights.

WARNING: Described and implied character torture (not too bad; I don't get too graphic…though if you have an imagination for such things, it might come across worse than I describe) and minor bad language

DISCLAIMER: If this Dragonashes owned Inuyasha, she would not be spending so much time looking for scholarships to pay for college. I wonder if Rumiko Takahashi went to college…

**An Acceptable Time**

**Chapter 4 – Purification**

"_Half-breed!"_

"_Accursed creature!"_

"_Yokai's spawn!"_

"_You should never have been born! You should have been killed at birth!"_

_Young Inuyasha awoke quickly from his light sleep, ready to face the phantom villagers who were chasing him through his dreams. A moment's glance told him that he was still on his island, and still in human form. The sky above him was getting lighter by the minute. Sunrise would arrive shortly, forcing him off his small haven. He reveled in this one last minute of peace and quiet, then jumped onto dry land._

* * *

Kagome and Inuyasha had been traveling through the woods for several long minutes before they finally arrived back at their campsite. She had discovered soon after rescuing her friend that the sutras plastered on his legs and lower abdomen were specially designed to cause a slow (and, therefore, unusually painful) purification. They had attached themselves to Inuyasha's skin through his garments, and every attempt to pull them off had only released another wave of painful purifying energy into the hanyo. According to Inuyasha, who had some knowledge of this sort of spell (_'Probably from experience,'_ Kagome thought), the sutras would come off as soon as his yoki disappeared. The New Moon was only two nights away, but the futuristic miko wasn't sure she'd be able to endure two more nights of Inuyasha's suffering. And for once, she was pretty sure Inuyasha was actually looking forward to his night of transformation.

After retrieving her first aid kit, Kagome crawled over to where Inuyasha lay on the ground. The back of his white undershirt was bloody and torn, but that wasn't why the miko hesitated. Inuyasha just looked so…vulnerable, lying there on his stomach, desperately trying to keep his pain hidden but failing miserably. It was arousing all sorts of feminine urges that she didn't even know she possessed. All she wanted to do was to hold him, run her hands through his hair, tell him that everything was going to be all right, feel his hands wrap around her waist…

'_Why now, of all times?'_ Kagome thought angrily. Putting aside her embarrassing thoughts and maidenly scruples, she carefully removed her companion's shirt. The boy hissed in pain; apparently, the fabric had stuck into his wounds in places. The wounds were serious. The skin had been literally torn from the hanyo's back in several places. If that wasn't bad enough, several of the lashes had wrapped around and dug deeply into the soft flesh of his stomach area. Laying down – no matter how he positioned himself – would be painful. And thanks to the sutras purifying his yoki, he would not be able to heal himself at a normal rate.

As she bandaged her battered friend's wounds, she thought back to their argument earlier. Despite the awkwardness she had felt at the time, the situation now seemed humorous. Just think…_Inuyasha_ holding _her_ underwear! If only she had known how the night would progress, she would have been able to laugh it off. Inuyasha had clearly been just as embarrassed as she was over the incident. And now…well, her primary job was to keep Inuyasha from dying of blood loss. "There we go," she stated when she had finished, patting an uninjured part of his shoulder and draping his haori back across him.

Inuyasha slowly got up, obviously trying to shake off his pain. "Keh, it's about time." He paused, sniffing the air. "It's not safe here. You head back to Kaede's village; I'll come with Miroku and Sango."

"What? No! I'm not leaving you, especially in this condition…"

Inuyasha collapsed again in pain, no longer able to hide it, even with his enormous ego. The purification sutras were doing their job well; Inuyasha's yoki was nearly gone. "Listen to me, Kagome," he gasped. "The forest is full of yokai. They'll attack anything that's injured, and they've probably smelled me out by now. You have to run, or they'll catch you too!"

"N-no way!" Kagome was shocked by Inuyasha's sudden display of concern, but wasn't going to let that unbalance her equilibrium. She knelt in front of the suffering teen, raising his gaze to hers with a gentle hand on his cheek. "I promised that I'd never leave you, and I intend to keep that promise no matter what. Besides," she smirked, "Have you forgotten what I did to that houshi?" The thought hit her suddenly. "Oh dear Kami, I just killed a human," she whispered.

Inuyasha chuckled slightly, earning a hurt glare from the miko. "Ya didn't kill 'im. He's a strong bastard; his powers kept him alive." Kagome looked much more relieved, and a little embarrassed. Before he could stop himself, Inuyasha blurted out, "If he'd been a normal human or a yokai, he would've been purified to dust. That was really amazing!"

Just then, a screech rent the air overhead. Dropping everything but her bow and an arrow (which Inuyasha had spotted on the ground just outside the hut as they were leaving), Kagome jumped up. Inuyasha followed suit, and the two stood at the ready. A large bird yokai swooped down, cackling evilly.

"So, hanyo, you dare enter my territory! And in an injured state, no less." The bird's beady red eyes suddenly widened as an arrow mysteriously appeared in its neck. "What the –" Sadly, it's body disintegrated before it could finish that thought.

Kagome grabbed her first aid kit, slung her quiver over her shoulder, and turned to Inuyasha. The hanyo was already several paces ahead of her. "Well, ya comin'?"

"URG!! Osw-I mean, oh you are so annoying!" _'Sheesh, I almost subdued him! He's slowly turning human, and he's injured no less!'_

The pair traveled through the forest, following Inuyasha's nose toward Kaede's village. Suddenly, he was greeted with a scent that he hadn't caught in years. He turned off course, ignoring confused glances from the miko beside him, and used the last of his fast-fading strength to jump into the air with her before falling to his knees once more in unbearable pain.

Kagome gasped. They had landed in a beautiful clearing surrounded by tall trees. Through the middle of the clearing ran a river, which parted around a rock to create an island. She could feel a sense of calm, peaceful purity emanating from the water. "Inuyasha, what's…" her question was cut off when she realized that the person she was addressing was writhing on the ground in pain.

Inuyasha finally caught his breath. He knew what he had to do. "Kagome…do something…for me."

"What is it?" _'If you're telling me to run away again, you've seriously underestimated me, buddy.'_

"Purify me."

Okay, well, that was the next worse thing. "_WHAT?_ Inuyasha…are you thinking straight?"

"Trust me. If I'm in human form…the purification will stop." His breath caught as another wave of pain washed over him. "At…at this rate, I'll be human soon anyways."

Kagome nodded. That made sense; he had told her about how he had been purified at Mount Hakurei, so she was sure she could purify his yoki without causing any permanent damage. But still…"Inuyasha, what about your wounds? Without your yoki, they'll be much more serious."

"I…I'll be fine. Just...get it over with."

Kagome gently wrapped her arms around him, sending gentle pulses of her miko energy through his trembling body.

"What's taking so long? What's wrong?" Confusion was evident in the boy's voice.

Kagome's eyes snapped open, and she pulled back slightly to look at her friend. Sure enough, he was still a silver-haired, golden-eyed hanyo. "I…I don't understand…I'm purifying you, but…" She glanced up, observing their auras. Sure enough, miko energy and yoki were swirling over their heads, intertwined but not countering each other. _'It's…it's because I accept him the way he is, isn't it?'_ She asked herself. Still, as much as she hated it, she knew what she had to do. Slowly adjusting her magic, she prepared to attack the yoki. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha." With that, she let a shock of potent miko energy rush through the boy's body.

XXXXX

Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly. He had no idea how long he'd been out – the last thing he remembered was being hit by a violent surge of Kagome's purifying magic, and that was around midnight – but it looked like dawn was just approaching. The first thing he noticed was that he was snuggled unusually close to the girl's body, with his head on her shoulder and his arms wrapped around her waist in a loose fashion. The second thing he noticed was that both of them were perched atop the rocky island where he had taken refuge so many years before, on the first new moon after his mother's death. He glanced over the miko's shoulder and took a peek at his hands. His _human_ hands. Moving his legs slightly, he noticed that there were no sutras on them. The purification had worked! For once, he was glad to be human.

"Oh, you're awake! I'm so sorry; that was way too violent…I should've been much more careful; I don't know what possessed me to try that..." Kagome's tearful tirade was cut off by a light scoff from the now-human boy in her arms.

"Keh…I asked you to, remember? Besides, it wasn't any worse than getting 'Oswari'd,'" he teased, trying to keep Kagome's mind (and his own) off the searing pain that was running down his back. At least he didn't have to worry about being purified now...

"How can you do that?!" She asked him. Inuyasha pulled back, shocked; only to find that his wounds (and the size of the island) kept him from going far. Kagome gently guided his head back onto her shoulder, one hand running through his long, black hair and the other loosely wrapped around his less-injured shoulder. "You're in pain; why can't you just open up and show it? I won't judge you, and I can see through your 'tough guy' act."

Inuyasha was silent for a moment before whispering, "Did you mean what you said?"

"What do you mean?"

"What you said…back at the village. About being a yo…a yokai's…" For the life of him, Inuyasha could not finish the sentence. _'Damn these stupid human emotions! Now I can't even talk straight!_' He mentally cursed, his face turning as red as his haori.

"Inuyasha…" the girl gave him a light squeeze, trying not to hurt him, "I…I love you just the way you are. Human, hanyo, or even yokai; you're still you. I don't care what people say; you're an amazing person. A _whole_ person; not just half." She paused, still shocked that she had the courage to say all that, but she needed to answer the question. "And…I…I did mean what I said. You know, that I wouldn't mind being a yokai's bride. As…as long as it was a…you know, a nice yokai."

Inuyasha smirked. "Or half?" He suddenly felt very sleepy, soothed by Kagome's warmth and peaceful scent.

"Uh…sure, why not?" Kagome was suddenly very aware of the fact that the man she loved more than life itself was falling asleep in her arms, pressed against her body, with his arms wrapped around her. On top of that, she had just confessed her love for him. _'Oh, darn, this is awkward…but who am I kidding; I've been dreaming about this for ages. I might as well enjoy it.'_ She looked down, gently smoothing her love's ebony hair with her free hand. _'Now, if only he had those cute little puppy ears back, this would be perfect…'_

* * *

Awww…yes, I have fluff. Nice, gentle fluff. Like a cloud.

ANYWAYS, I hope you stick around! I have one more chapter, and maybe an epilogue. This certainly is getting to be longer than I had originally planned, but I'm happy with it.

If _you_ enjoy it, please consider reviewing. It means a lot to me. Arigato!


	5. Reunion

The last chapter…well, before the epilogue, at least. Yes, my friends, I have decided to write an epilogue despite my original intention to only write 4-5 chapters for this fic. Thanks for reading; I hope you've enjoyed it.

Basic Japanese

-Arigato – "Thank you"  
-Baka – idiot  
-Gomen (nasai) – "I'm (very) sorry"  
-Hanyo – a person who is half yokai and half human  
-Haori – an outer upper garment; in this case, the fire-rat coat of Inuyasha's outfit.  
-Inu – dog (the literal interpretation of "Inuyasha" is thus something along the lines of "dog forest spirit.")  
-Kaze no Kizu – literally, "Tear (or wound, or gash) of the Wind;" but commonly interpreted as "Wind Scar" in English. It's the Tetsusaiga's main attack, causing several solid blades of wind with the power to destroy 100 lesser yokai in one strike  
-Kitsune – fox, like Shippo  
-Neko – cat  
-Shoji – a Japanese door formed by a wall panel (usually made of painted screen or other light material) that slides open, instead of swinging open like Western doors  
-Taiji-ya – yokai exterminator, like Sango  
-Yokai – mythological creature (usually interpreted 'demon' in English…because it sounds more threatening?)  
-Yoki – yokai magical energy

I shorten the "ou" in most Japanese-interpreted words simply because I'm American – and we don't use "ou" for the /O/ sound in America. Besides, there really is no 'proper' spelling, as the Japanese use kanji and not our alphabet.

Review if you have questions. Or comments. Or concerns. Or…never mind, just review!

Flames will be used as candles to save electricity for powering my laptop.

WARNING: Light and fluffy

DISCLAIMER: If this Dragonashes owned Inuyasha, she would not be spending so much time looking for scholarships to pay for college. I wonder if Rumiko Takahashi went to college…

**An Acceptable Time**

**Chapter 5 – Reunion**

_The sunlight played lightly over Inuyasha's hair as he slowly made his way through the forest. This was going to be another long day. Yokai would despise him for what he was; humans would fear him for what he could become. The world was just the same as before._

_For some reason, Inuyasha could not bring himself to believe this. His small heart stirred with an inexplicable sense of purpose, as if the single night in the calm peacefulness of the island had regenerated hope he thought was long dead. Suddenly, Inuyasha realized what this feeling was. He felt __belonging__. The despair he had been feeling ever since his mother's death was washed away in the river. He was no longer waiting for his life to end; now, he had a reason to live._

_He __would__ make a place in the world for himself, no matter what the consequences._

_He __would__ find acceptance._

* * *

Kagome woke up with a start from her light doze. It couldn't have been more than half an hour since she fell asleep with Inuyasha in her arms, for the sun had yet to fully rise. Gray light still played over the river and its small waterfall upstream, splashing small ribbons of light onto the trees surrounding it. She glanced down at the sleeping boy in her arms. He growled in his sleep, and Kagome fought an urge to giggle. _'Such a puppy…'_ Patting the top of his head soothingly, she managed to calm him back down.

Inuyasha suddenly tightened his grip around her waist and began panting heavily. "Inuyasha?"

"My…my yoki…" he gasped. "It's returning…"

It took Kagome a minute to realize the full implications of the problem. They were on pure ground…which meant that Inuyasha's yoki would be automatically purified. _'He needs his yoki to heal; but I can't move him off this island myself.'_ On an impulse, she wrapped her arms more securely around him and allowed her miko powers to flow through Inuyasha.

The reaction was immediate. He slowly lifted his head, careful not to disturb the girl's hold on him. "Kagome? How…did you do that?"

The miko looked down, shocked to see a hanyo instead of a human in her clutches. "I…uh…well, you know earlier, when I was trying to purify you the first time?" He nodded, and Kagome continued. "I'm doing what I did then – pouring my purifying energy into you. I guess it's holding off the island's purifying powers." Simultaneously, they both glanced upward. Once again, Kagome's purifying energy and Inuyasha's yoki were intertwining without reacting to each other.

"Keh…that's weird. Doesn't your stupid magic know that it's supposed to attack yoki?" Despite his harsh words, there was an undertone of awe in the hanyo's voice that was not lost on Kagome.

"Of _course_ it knows. I _was_ able to purify you, after all. It's just…you're not a threat, so there's no point in destroying your yoki."

"Whaddaya mean, I'm not a threat?! I'm not weak, in case you forgot. I could tear you apart in seconds! I can – I _have_ – destroyed humans before. I could easily do it again."

Kagome responded with a gentle squeeze, silently praying that she kept her patience. After all, she had been up half the night…and she really wasn't a morning person by nature. "Inuyasha…that's not what I meant." She turned her gaze back to their combined auras. "I accept you. I trust you. I know that you will always protect me. Even when you hurt me yourself, you do everything you can think of to comfort me. I didn't mean that you _couldn't_ hurt me; I meant that you _wouldn't_ hurt me. Besides, like I said last night…_I love you!"_

Inuyasha was in shock. Yes, he had known that Kagome accepted him, and she obviously trusted him with her life – even in the most dangerous battles. It was only natural for him to respond by giving her protection and comfort – though the latter was often ruined by his pride and his habit of blurting out whatever was on his mind without thinking. But love…was that possible? Hanyos weren't supposed to love; yet he had fallen in love with Kikyo. He had messed that up rather badly by not trusting her and by not being there to protect her. He didn't deserve a second chance.

Yet…as he looked up at Kagome, her eyes so full of unconditional love, he realized that it wasn't a matter of what he _deserved_. No one could ever be pure enough to deserve Kagome; yet she had chosen him…a hanyo…the dirt of the world. _'She loves me!'_ His heart skipped a beat. No one could ever deserve Kagome…but he'd be damned if he didn't try his hardest to return that love. He took a deep breath, praying that he wouldn't mess up this opportunity as he had so many others. "Kagome…"

"Inuyasha?"

'_The way she says my name…it makes shivers run down my spine…how does she do this to me?'_ "Well…Kagome? Please listen. I mean, without interrupting."

The girl nodded, not wanting anything to ruin the moment, but with a confused look on her face.

"I'm probably gonna say this all wrong – I mean, I'm no good with words and all – but I just wanted to say…I think you're an amazing shard detector." _'Woops…that came out wrong…'_

Kagome stiffened slightly at the name, but she was used to it. _'Oh, well…I guess he hasn't changed __that__ much. Still, I thought he'd return my feelings…or at least acknowledge them.'_

Inuyasha stuttered, trying to correct his mistake. "Er…uh…what I mean is…you can see Shikon shards, but that's only part of you. There's other parts…that are amazing, too." _'Great, now I sound like Miroku,'_ he groaned inwardly. This wasn't going well. "Uh…oh, damnit, Kagome! I'm no good at this."

Kagome – who had not missed the hanyo's unintentional innuendo – had turned an interesting shade of pink, but had followed her promise not to interrupt. The fact that the love of her life was gazing straight into her eyes with what she called his 'lost puppy' look wasn't helping things. She tried to steady her heart rate and calm her nerves. "Just…just try, Inuyasha. I promise, I won't move an inch until you find a way to say what you want to say."

"I…I…I…guess, what I'm trying to say…is…oh damnit, wench; I…I love ya too!" The color of his face now matched his haori.

It wasn't exactly a loquacious confession of love, but it was just so…_Inuyasha_…that Kagome couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Keh…what are you laughing at?"

"Oh, you silly puppy!" Kagome gave her beloved hanyo a tight squeeze of appreciation…only to loosen it when he yelped in pain from his not-yet-healed wounds. "Oh, Inuyasha…I'm so sorry!"

"Keh…it's nothing. I'm almost healed already." To prove his point, Inuyasha straightened. Swooping Kagome up bridal style, he leapt off the island and into the middle of the clearing in one bound. He carefully placing her on the ground, careful not to nick her tender skin with his claws.

"Arigato…" Kagome's breath caught in her throat as she found her gaze held by two beautiful golden eyes.

Inuyasha was equally entranced. Regardless of whatever had possessed him to reveal his love for the girl in front of him, he had no regrets. The urge to kiss her was overpowering; he wanted so much to feel her soft lips on his own, to feel her arms wrapped around his neck..._ 'That's it, I've been around that damn perverted houshi __way__ too long…'_

Aside from concern about his Miroku-like thoughts, something else held him back. He had overheard Kagome and Sango speaking late one night (Miroku had been knocked out for one grope too many, and Inuyasha had hidden himself well in the trees just above them) about guys and relationships. Kagome had confessed to the taiji-ya that she had never been kissed before. She had also mentioned that, although it was rather contrary to the ways of her era, it was her family's policy not to kiss until _after_ marriage. Sango had been confused, but the girl from the future had explained that this was to test the strength of the man's love and respect. If her future husband _really_ loved her, he would respect her wishes.

Inuyasha could see why. Just looking at Kagome made his heart beat faster – and it didn't help that he could hear her own heart racing as well. He wanted to make sure she knew he wasn't some Miroku who would take her against her wishes…despite the fact that he half wanted to. Slowly, so as not to startle her, he took her hands in his, looked deep into her eyes, and…

"KAGOME!!" A talkative ball of fur that answered to the name 'Shippo' bounced out of the forest and crashed into the miko's chest. "We were so worried about you! Kilala and I followed your scent here, but we also smelled a lot of Inuyasha's blood, so we weren't sure if you were safe…and we brought your 'pack-back' bag thing too!!"

'_Damn!'_ "Runt…" Inuyasha glared daggers at the kit, mentally bashing himself for not noticing the approaching scents of their traveling companions.

"Ah, Inuyasha…are we interrupting something?" Miroku stepped into the clearing, lugging Kagome's yellow backpack and smiling lecherously. He dropped to the ground as Sango's signature bone boomerang suddenly materialized where his head had once been.

"Houshi-sama, _unlike_ you, Inuyasha and Kagome actually possess something called _moral values._" The taiji-ya relaxed her hold on the weapon and smiled at her friends (who were still holding hands). "It took you two long enough. You ready to head back?"

A red-faced Kagome shot one final glance at her hanyo love and dashed after Sango, retrieving her backpack from the semi-conscious houshi along the way.

XXXXX

"So…what happened? We were so worried when you didn't come back from the village." Kagome asked as she and her boomerang-wielding friend walked along the path that led to Kaede's village.

Sango sighed. "Well…apparently, the group of traders we passed yesterday afternoon stopped in that village as well."

Kagome nodded, remembering the encounter. One of the traders had been drunk, and had asked Kagome to 'bear his children…' which, needless to say, angered the group's resident hanyo. Only the combined efforts of his three human companions kept Inuyasha from knocking each and every one of the men unconscious.

"They remembered us," the older woman continued, "And identified us as soon as we entered the village. The villagers captured us and the village houshi locked us up in the storage shed. He kept saying something about 'saving us from being possessed by yokai,' or something like that. If Shippo and Kilala hadn't come when they did and let us out of the shed, there's no telling what he would've done. He was probably insane…I'm glad Inuyasha took care of him. How did he do it, though? The guy looked awfully burnt, and he was laying quite a ways from the hut Shippo and Kilala left you two in."

Kagome shifted awkwardly. "About that…Inuyasha didn't fight him. I did."

"_You_ did!" Sango looked at her friend in awe. "Wow…Kagome…I guess that makes sense. Do you realize exactly what you did?"

"I jut hit him with a blast of pink energy, but it felt…different, somehow."

"Different!" Sango laughed. "_Different_ doesn't even begin to describe it! You used a special type of energy that few people in history have been able to master. It's a combination of yoki and purification powers that some call 'hanyo magic' because it's deadly to yokai and humans with spiritual powers, but harmless to hanyos because of their special aura. The only question is," she eyed her friend, "How did yoki get into your magic?"

"Well…before that, I had been…near…Inuyasha."

"You were touching him?"

"Yeah…"

Sango chuckled again. "Inuyasha's yoki must have flowed into you, mingling with your purifying powers. It's amazing, though; ordinarily, miko powers would've purified the yoki instantly...yet yours did not."

Kagome explained what had happened the night before and early that morning, when her miko powers and Inuyasha's yoki had danced together.

"I see…so you think that your acceptance of Inuyasha as a hanyo enabled your powers to combine?"

"I can't think of any other explanation. I guess we could ask Kaede. Maybe she knows more about this." Kagome sighed. "It's too bad that this new magic doesn't work on hanyos; I would love to blast Naraku with it."

"As would I. You did a lot of damage to that houshi back in the village…you should've seen the look on Miroku's face when he saw that. Speaking of which…" the taiji-ya turned back in the direction of the clearing, belatedly noticing the absence of the men of the group.

XXXXX

Inuyasha stayed rooted to the ground where Kagome left him, debating between pulverizing the annoying kitsune who had interrupted their conversation and getting revenge on the houshi for his lecherous suggestions. Luckily, fate made his choice for him.

"INUYASHA!" Shippo knocked the elder yokai on the head. "You moron; Sango and Miroku told us all about that dangerous village. How could you even _think_ of taking her there, you selfish…"

"SHUT UP, BRAT!" Inuyasha prepared to knock the kit out, when he felt two little arms being wrapped around his neck in a fierce hug.

"We were so worried about you," Shippo sniffled. "You were hurt so bad, and with all that blood back at the camp…"

The hanyo's golden eyes softened a little. "Keh…I can handle myself. By the way," he pulled the kit around to look him in the eye, "You and Kilala did a pretty good job back there."

"You really think so?" The yokai boy perked up a little.

"Sure ya did. You found Miroku and Sango, didn't you?"

"Um…Inuyasha?" Shippo pointed at the houshi, who was just beginning to show signs of life again after his unusually hard hit to the head.

The hanyo just glared down at his lecherous friend with a dangerously calm expression. "Miroku, if you _ever_ make comments like that about Kagome again, I'll ask her to do her little pink-magic trick on you."

Miroku gulped, paling a little. "N-now Inuyasha, be reasonable…" After a moment, Inuyasha's yoki began to fade down the path the girls had followed earlier. The houshi let out a breath and opened his eyes, only to find himself face-to-face with Shippo.

"He means it, you know," the kit said with an unusually serious expression. "If I were you, I'd stick to annoying Sango. She's safer." With that, he bounded down the path towards his friends.

Miroku just sat there with a dazed expression on his face. Kagome and Inuyasha had been holding hands; Shippo just stuck up for Inuyasha. "…Did I miss something…?"

* * *

HAH! There, the last chapter's done! I still intend to do an epilogue…but just for the sake of my pride, I'm not counting it as a chapter.

Arigato to everyone who has reviewed my story thus far! It means a lot to me. You are my motivation and my anti-writer's block charm!

P.S. The conversation between Kagome and Sango was inspired by a real-life conversation. It's also reference to another plot bunny I've had that – hopefully – I will begin working on soon. It's about Inuyasha courting Kagome while trying to follow both yokai traditions and her family's customs. Lots of fluff involved!


	6. Epilogue

Well, this is it! The epilogue – finally! I'm sorry this took longer than the other chapters, but I've been busy with school and…stuff. Hope you like!

* * *

**An Acceptable Time**

**Epilogue**

It was a dark, lonely night. Nighttime creatures could be heard occasionally over the howling of the wind through the trees of the Forest of Inuyasha. The forest's namesake, solitary figure clad in red, sat at the base of the Goshinboku.

'_Damn…I really hate being human.'_ He stopped himself at the thought. _'No, I guess that isn't true. I hate being __weak__. Being human ain't so bad – after all, the pervert houshi, the taiji-ya, and Kagome are all human.'_ The now-human boy stretched his arms over his head, noting with satisfaction that the he could now crack his back without pain. His yokai blood had caused the deep lashes across his back and abdomen to all but disappear. Still, if it hadn't been for Kagome's protection and bandaging, he likely would've bled to death or become dinner for a roving yokai before the sutras' effect completed. _'Kagome…'_

XXXXX

Not far away, the object of his thoughts was inside Kaede's hut. She carefully ladled hot ramen into two bowls, then stood to leave. Despite the fact that the group had only been back at the village for a day and a half, they had quickly become bored. Everyone but Kagome and Inuyasha had jumped at the chance to help Kaede assist in caring for the victims of a small influenza epidemic that was sweeping through the village. As Kagome carefully walked to the Goshinboku, balancing the two full bowls of ramen, she thought over the events of the past few days.

'_Inuyasha…he's been so distant, ever since we got back. I'm sure he meant everything he said, but still…it would be nice to hear him say he loves me again.'_ She giggled. _'He's so shy, kinda like…like a little puppy!'_

"Oi, whatcha laughin' at?" A gruff voice brought her out of her reverie.

"You." Came the reply.

Inuyasha looked up, startled – only to see a bowl of ramen and a pair of chopsticks being held out to him by a girl with love and amusement dancing in her chocolate brown eyes. "Keh…"

Kagome sat down beside the hanyo-turned-human, their knees barely touching, and delved into her own bowl of ramen. She carefully twirled the long noodles around her chopsticks, bringing them thoughtfully up to her mouth. After eating only five noodles in this manner, she got the odd feeling that she was being watched.

Sure enough, the boy next to her was staring at her with a look of awe and fascination that made her blush. The full bowl was on the ground in front of him, completely ignored. "…Inuyasha?" She asked.

It was Inuyasha's turn to blush. Quickly picking up the bowl, he consumed the entire meal in the amount of time it took Kagome to eat two noodles. He glanced over at the girl next to him to ask for more ramen, but the words died in his mouth when he realized that she was freezing. Out of instinct, he shrugged off his haori and draped it over her shoulders. "Keh…why are you out here? You'll catch cold." He turned away to hide a light blush when he realized how close they were. His face turned as red as his haori when the time-traveling miko reached over and placed a hand on his knee.

"I came out here to be with you." The couple's eyes met, and Kagome continued nervously, "I…I didn't want you to be alone. Even in the forest. _Especially_ in the forest, I mean; there are plenty of yokai who live in here…" She placed her half-empty ramen bowl on the ground and twiddled her thumbs.

Inuyasha smirked. "You're rambling." He pulled her into a loose embrace, which caused his face to change colors again. "Tell me, Kagome. Tell me what's the matter."

"Well, it's just…you've been so…so distant, ever since that night." Neither needed to be told which night was in question. "Did I do something wrong? Did I offend you somehow?"

Inuyasha turned his gaze downward to the girl in his arms, and smiled; not one of his trademark smirks, but a true, genuine smile. "Kagome…I'm sorry. I really am. It's just…keh, you know I'm not good with this emotional stuff. It comes so easy when I'm human, and…well, honestly, it scares me. I don't see how you people do it." He could feel Kagome's smile through the cloth of his white undershirt. "But when I'm in hanyo form, my emotions just _feel_ different. Most of 'em aren't as strong, so they're easier to deal with. But…my feelings – for you, I mean – they don't go away. Kagome," he cut her off, feeling her pull away slightly to respond to his comments, "Please, please give me some time to sort myself out. You've already healed my heart so much…"

Kagome's own heart fluttered crazily as Inuyasha reached out a non-clawed hand and embraced her cheek. She covered his hand with her own, intertwining their fingers but never letting her gaze drop from Inuyasha's unusually-colored eyes. She loved those eyes. In hanyo form they were an amber-honey color that she absolutely adored; but now – as on every new moon night – they were a curiously dark color that appeared brown, purple, or deep midnight blue depending on the light. _'I'll have to take him back to my world sometime when he's human; I wonder what color his eyes __really__ are. It's so hard to tell when I've never seen them in proper lighting.'_ "Inuyasha…I love you."

The human hanyo at the receiving end of this romantic declaration felt his heart skip a beat. He had no doubt she meant it – heck, he had no doubt she had meant it when she said it two nights ago – but it still took his breath away to hear her say it. If only he could respond…he slowly rubbed his thumb – the only finger not held in her grasp – across her smooth, pale cheek. "Kagome…how could someone as perfect as you fall in love with a filthy half-breed like me?" He let his hand drop and looked away, ashamed despite himself.

To his shock, Kagome gave him a light slap across the cheek. It was far lighter than the slaps that Sango gave Miroku, but it stung his human skin enough to get his attention. His eyes met the deadly glare of an angry miko.

"How _dare_ you?" She seethed. "I happen to _love_ this hanyo, and I will not – I repeat, _not_ – allow ANYONE to insult him!" Her glare softened into a sad smile, and her free hand caressed the injured cheek. "It hurts _me_ when he's injured, inside or out – especially by his own hand. Besides," she allowed her hand to fall onto the stunned boy's shoulder, gently caressing the beads around his neck, "I'm far from perfect. Both yesterday and today, I woke up almost believing that our night on the island was a dream – a terrifying one at the beginning, but a dream nonetheless – but somehow, I knew it was real."

"Did you want it to be a dream?" There was no self-pity in his voice; only genuine curiosity.

Kagome smiled gently and took one of Inuyasha's hands. "No…I think I'll keep this one as a memory."

The two sat in silence for a while, hand in hand, watching the stars that shone all the clearer for lack of a moon. Time itself seemed to stop as the lovers reveled in each other's presence and the beauty of nature – two things that they so often took advantage of. The spell was broken when Inuyasha shifted slightly to look Kagome in the eye. "…Kagome?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you realize exactly what it means to be a yokai's bride?"

Kagome stared back, stunned. _'Now, where on __earth__ did that come from?'_ "Well…no, I can't honestly say I do. Why?"

Inuyasha sighed dejectedly. "It's a life no one would want. It's like that houshi said; only a fool would ever choose a life with a yokai." _'And you deserve better...'_

Despite the fact that the boy next to her was now human, Kagome could clearly imagine how his puppy ears would be laid back after such a statement. Softly – but loud enough for his human hearing – she whispered, "Your mother did. And I think you and I will both agree that she was no fool."

Inuyasha whipped his head back around in shock, sending a wave of black hair through Kagome's face. "Ho…how would you know? You never met her!"

Kagome brushed an abundance of black hair – Inuyasha's and her own – out of her face. "No, but I've met you! I know you don't talk about her often, but you don't have to. I know the pain of losing a parent, and how much it hurts to talk about it…"

"Keh…" It was a weak acknowledgement, but an acknowledgement nonetheless.

"…but I can see her in you."

Inuyasha stared at her in awe, those mysteriously dark eyes of his silently begging her to continue.

"It's obvious that she taught you manners; even under that tough exterior, you still have a sense of how to behave in certain situations. She gave you her pride; it shows in the way you fold your arms and stick your nose in the air when you're avoiding a question, and in how you hold Tetsusaiga when you're going into battle. She gave you her looks – well, on moonless nights, anyways – so I can imagine she was a very beautiful woman." She glanced away slightly to hide her blush. "And most of all, Inuyasha, she gave you her heart. You may not act like it all the time, but it's obvious that you care for all of us – even Shippo. You're willing to risk your life to keep us safe. I'm not saying that your father wouldn't have done the same thing, but…just look at Sesshomaru. If it weren't for your human side, who's to say you wouldn't have turned out just like him?" Kagome paused to compose herself, then wrapped her arms back around the human hanyo next to her. "I may not know exactly what happens to a yokai's bride, but I'd be willing to risk whatever stigma is involved if it meant I could be with you. I just want you to know that…that even if everyone else in the world hated you – and believe me, that's not the case – I would stay by your side. After all," she laughed, "I promised you, didn't I?"

Inuyasha responded with a small chuckle of his own, and placed his own arm around Kagome. "Yeah, you did…and I'm holdin' ya to it." He stood, pulling Kagome with him, and gathered up their bowls and chopsticks in one deft motion. "Come on, before we freeze out here."

Kagome smiled as she followed him towards the hut. _'He sure has changed; he just admitted that the cold __might__ be affecting him.'_

"Oi, Kagome?"

"Inuyasha?"

"…Arigato. For everythin'."

"It's no problem…"

"That ramen wasn't as burnt as normal tonight." The boy smirked and dodged a fist from a vengeful – but amused – miko.

'_Such a puppy,'_ Kagome thought, smiling secretly.

'_Thanks, mom; I finally found someone who accepts me for who I am. Are you sure you didn't have something to do with that well?'_ Inuyasha decided not to follow that train of thought. One thing that Kagome had neglected to mention was his mother's sense of humor – a trait which Inuyasha knew all to well. He wouldn't put it past her to arrange a magic well just to make her only son happy. Knowing her, she probably would. She was a lot like Kagome in that way. Always taking care of him…even when he didn't know he needed it.

Both of them would always be there for him – one on Earth and one in Heaven – whenever he was ready to sort out his feelings. Inuyasha had finally found an acceptable time to be himself. '_And I'll stay that way_…_just for you two_…_'cause I love you too much to change.'_

* * *

Well, I'm happy with this! I hope I didn't make Inuyasha too mushy…though love does strange things to us all. I couldn't resist bringing Inuyasha's mother into this; there is a saying that men fall in love with women who remind them of their mothers, and I like to think it holds true in Inuyasha's case.

Kudos to my faithful reviewers:

**Alternative Angel:** Arigato! You were my first reviewer…ever! I am eternally grateful for your support and reviews. (Does a happy dance) ARIGATO!!

**Dark Kitten Saki:** Arigato for your two reviews! One of the reasons I was able to get the epilogue up at all was because of your encouragement.

**Island Heart:** I hope this story lived up to your expectations of Kagome as a nurse. Thanks for reading!

**LolliBear06:** Arigato for adding this story to your alerts! The knowledge that people will be informed _the very minute_ I publish something helps me keep my quality up. Sorry that the other members of the Inu-Tachi weren't included very much.


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